Pony Facts: 15 Things You Didn’t Know (Part 2)

A pony is a much more unique animal than we think. Earlier we brought you part one of this article. Check out part two below!

Number Eight: A Pony Doesn’t Need Comfort to Sleep

Unlike us humans who prefer to be horizontal when sleeping, a pony can fall asleep standing up or lying down. The amount of REM sleep a pony requires is very small, so they don’t need to lie down that often.

Number Seven: Buckets of Saliva

A Pony can produce up to 30 liters of saliva each day. That’s about 9 gallons. This is because a pony has three pairs of salivary glands called the mandibular, parotid, and sublingual. These glands are constantly busy lubricating food before it makes its way through the esophagus.

Number Six: Their Teeth Extend Into Their Head

Ponies’ teeth are so huge, they take up a larger amount of space in their head than their own brain. They have hypsodont teeth, meaning very long, that gradually wear away during their lives.

Number Five: Ponies Take Time to Mourn

Ponies are very social and like to be around other ponies. When they lose a companion they can take weeks to mourn the loss.

Number Four: The Term Pony Also Refers to Horses

The word ‘pony’ is also used in referring to some full-size horses. These horses are called cow ponies, polo ponies, and Indian ponies.

Number Three: Age Is Determined By Their Teeth

While most of us count grays as we age, the only true factor in determining the age of ponies is by examining its teeth. It’s all about the groove. A small fold or indentation in the tooth enamel is the indication of Galvayne’s Groove forming which helps identify their age.

Number Two: They Can Run Within Hours of Being Born

Within an hour of being born, ponies can already trot. Several hours after that it can run. They surely surpass us humans in leg coordination dexterity.

Number One: It’s All in The Eyes

Ponies have some of the largest eyes of any mammal on land with a diameter of almost two inches. Their wide range vision is remarkable because their eyes are located on each side of their head, leaving them with two blind spots, directly behind and in front of their bodies. We hope you enjoyed these 15 facts!